Surfing dolphina and other delights

In the swim: Spectators at this year's annual Rincon Classic surfing contest in Santa Barbara were delighted to see a pod of dolphins join the 200 or so competitors in the contest area — up close (within a few feet) and personal. The surprise entrants drew cheers from the crowd as they displayed their clearly superior aquatic skills. (Hard sayin' who enjoyed it most.)

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Posted Feb. 26, 2014 at 2:00 AM

Posted Feb. 26, 2014 at 2:00 AM

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In the swim: Spectators at this year's annual Rincon Classic surfing contest in Santa Barbara were delighted to see a pod of dolphins join the 200 or so competitors in the contest area — up close (within a few feet) and personal. The surprise entrants drew cheers from the crowd as they displayed their clearly superior aquatic skills. (Hard sayin' who enjoyed it most.)

Another fish story: Dean Roberts, who may rightfully lay claim to the title of King of Anglers, recently reeled in a Halibut weighing 434 pounds off the coast near Hull, England. Since Halibut are known to grow about 2.2 pounds per year, he and his fishing buddies estimated that this beauty had been effectively evading fishers in those waters for a very long time. (Yes, Roberts got pictures of it before he sold it...;for $2,400.)

Kayla Finley, of Pickens County, S.C., reportedly rented a movie, "Monster-in-Law," from the Dalton Video store back in 2005 and failed to return it. The store subsequently went out of business and she apparently just forgot about it. Mr. Dalton didn't, however, and Finley was recently arrested and jailed on the larceny charges he filed nine years ago. (You can run, but...;)

Bad news: A would-be robber tried to knock off a gas station in Winter Garden, Fla., last week, got angry when the clerk couldn't open the safe and pulled out his gun and, just for spite, shot him. Good news: the bullet was stopped by the clerk's cellphone. He was uninjured, and didn't even know what had happened until he removed the phone from his shirt pocket. (Just wasn't his time.)

Warm reception: Pollution in a lagoon in a Rio de Janeiro suburb has caused a rise in water temperature, which in turn has attracted thousands of Caimans (think crocodiles, only smaller). The swarm is being abetted by people feeding them, according to worried Brazilian conservationists. Even more worried, presumably, are Olympics officials, who plan to locate the athletes' village on that spot for the 2016 Summer Games. (You thought Sochi had problems...;?)

Hazel Sanchez spotted a handsome statuette in a pile of rubbish near his home in Brooklyn recently, and thought it "looked so cool" that he took it home, cleaned it up and put it on his coffee table. Then, while watching an awards show on TV, he realized it was an actual gold-plated Emmy Award. The band on the base on which the winner's name was originally inscribed was missing, so he's trying to figure out to whom it belonged. (And the winner is...;Hazel Sanchez.)

Another winner: Gerardo Gamboa thought a passenger had left a bag of chocolates in his Las Vegas cab recently, but when he opened it he found $300,000 in six bundles of $100 bills. He immediately turned it over to police who, working with casino officials, were able to link the money to a well-known gambler (identity confidential). Gamboa said he never thought of keeping it, "not even one second, no." (Hopefully, he at least got a reward.)

More good people: Suzanne Myers adopted Sonic, a rescued beagle found wandering in the desert near her Tucson home, and trained him to perform in agility competitions — navigating all those ramps, tunnels, jumps and other obstacles. He won several events and recently qualified to compete in the Westminster Masters Agility Championship in New York. "He's a good example," she says, "of what you can do with a rescue dog." (And a compassionate master.)

Brazen thievery: Robbers struck a delivery truck parked overnight at a highway rest stop near Reddich in Worcestershire, England, last week and made off with 6,400 cans of Heinz baked beans (with sausages). The driver was apparently asleep in the cab at the time, and claimed he didn't hear a thing. (Ah...;a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine and 6,400 cans of baked beans...;)

Remember — the only things kids wear out faster than shoes are parents. — JEC